***Guardian Pacers---Present Day***

The pacing. That was what was going to drive him truly insane. Being so far down the hallway, he couldn't make out what was being said, but the squeak of the floorboards was definitive evidence that Duncan was pacing. That was definitely not a good sign. Pacing only meant one thing: Duncan was bottling up emotions and Duncan plus bottled emotions always equaled Richie in trouble. As he lay on the bed, desperately wishing the pacing would end, he couldn't help but pout a bit about being laid up to begin with.

When he managed to convince Duncan to allow him to pick up the plaster on his own only a few hours earlier, he thought he had completely lucked out. He would have plenty of time to make it to the docks and back before Duncan and Tessa finished smoozing her new customers at Gino's and, since they had closed down the store, he was planning on spending a few hours with the living room stereo playing real music for a change. With Duncan and Tessa both out of the house, he could listen to his favorite band at a volume that would normally be classified as more than "appropriate." What do they say about the best-laid plans?

Damn his desire to be quick. He was never quick about anything. Why had he chosen today to turn over a new leaf?

If he hadn't taken the shortcut through his old neighborhood, he probably wouldn't have made it there and back before three; but he certainly would have been back well before Duncan and Tessa. And, more importantly, he would have returned unscathed. That one decision had cost him far too much, in his opinion. Now not only was he hurt and most likely in trouble, but he had upset Duncan, too.

How did he always end up burdening the one person who was always protecting him, even when he was fighting that protection tooth and nail?

***Flashback---Richie's perspective***

Listening to the couple fight in the living room, Richie knew that it was time to make his getaway. Any minute now, Duncan would be tossing him out or, even worse, calling someone to come get him. Richie had no intention of sticking around long enough for the man to do either. When he heard the words "him" and "now" from the woman, he fired up the afterburners and hopped out of bed in the direction of the window.

But it seemed that, as far as Richie was concerned, if you're going to do something wrong, you might as well do it loud.

He was so focused on climbing out the window and running across the yard, he never even heard the couple coming. It wasn't until hours after Duncan had lifted him from the tangle of bed sheets he landed in and back into the safety of the bed that he realized that, other than in his dreams, he hadn't escaped. In reality, he had been discovered lying only inches from the edge of the bed.

When he finally regained consciousness, he was surprised to see the Immortal was sitting vigilantly beside him.

"What am I still doing here?" He questioned, startling the Immortal with his long-anticipated consciousness.

"Where did you think you'd be?"

Richie shrugged at that. "Juvie, a foster home, the street corner. Really anywhere but here."

"I already told you, you're staying here." Duncan replied evenly.

Despite his circumstances, Richie had to save some face. "I don't need your help."

"Of course not." Duncan replied as he headed towards the door. Suddenly, he turned back around. "I'm coming right back, so don't bother trying to get up."

"I'll get up when I damn well please." He was tired, sore and scared. So what if he was being rude and irrational?

"Fine." Duncan replied, sitting back down.

Richie looked at him, puzzled. "I thought you were leaving?"

"Can't risk it, apparently."

Now Richie was confused to top it off. "What?"

"I leave, you might try to get up again and, whether you like it or not, you are staying right there until all side effects have worn off. Since that certainly isn't going to happen soon, I guess I can't go anywhere." Duncan explained.

"I don't need you here."

"Of course not." Duncan's even tone was infuriating.